NorthEast United FC finished their Indian Super League season with a resounding 3-0 win over Odisha FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday.
Though the Highlanders were unable to qualify for the playoffs, they gave a good account of the progressive steps they have taken in this campaign by recording an overwhelming victory against the Juggernauts, who lost third game in five games in the league.
Odisha FC finished the league season with 39 points and will be battling in the playoffs for a place in the semi-final. The Highlanders, who were last in the table in 2022-23, round off this campaign in the seventh spot with 26 points from 22 matches to their name.
It was a clinical outing by the Highlanders, and young attacker Parthib Gogoi opened the scoring in the 12th minute, when he tapped in a low cross that had conveniently come to him after a deflection.
Four minutes later, the home team doubled their lead through their Spanish talisman Nestor Albiach with an excellent solo goal.
Odisha FC had a chance to pull one back after Pranjil Bhumij was fouled inside the 18-yard box in the 24th minute, but Roy Krishna’s shot from the spot was saved in the bottom left corner by NorthEast United goalkeeper Mirshad Michu. This was the first time that Krishna missed a penalty in his ISL career, having converted each of his previous 10 efforts.
Phalguni Singh later got his name on the scoresheet in first-half stoppage time.